The bipartisan infrastructure legislation poised for a vote in the Senate this week would add $256 billion to the deficit over the next decade, congressional budget analysts announced Thursday, dashing hopes that provisions in the bill would fully pay for it.
The news will not come as a surprise to lawmakers skeptical of offsets included in the $1.2 trillion measure, but it immediately reinforced opposition from Republicans who opposed much of the spending and policy riders in the bill.
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Sen. Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, cited the debt projection by the Congressional Budget Office Thursday in his opposition to the measure.
“This is absolutely unacceptable, especially at a time when Montana families are already dealing with soaring inflation and skyrocketing prices on everything from gas to groceries,” Daines said.
Lawmakers had been awaiting the CBO analysis, and top Republicans said it would play a critical role in determining how many GOP senators would end up voting for the bill. Democrats, who are likely to support it unanimously, will need at least 10 GOP lawmakers to end debate and set up a final vote.
The measure contains more than $500 billion in new spending on roads, bridges, waterways, broadband expansion, and new electric vehicle charging stations, among other provisions.
The bipartisan group of senators who authored the bill attempted to find ways to cover the costs that relied on projected growth and savings, which typically provide less reliable revenue.
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Democrats rejected user fees, such as indexing the federal gas tax to inflation.
Lawmakers may vote on the measure as soon as this weekend after days of debate on amendments.
The federal government has run a $2.2 trillion deficit this year.
